The KNVB, which counts Nike and Heineken amongst its sponsors, wanted to block the online sex-toy superstore from sponsoring the Rood-Witten
Translated by Thomas Ansell
“I’m very pleased that there’s now clarity. We’re finishing off the week with a win”, says Eric Idema, director at EasyToys, who have finally been confirmed as the new chief sponsor of FC Emmen. As reported by RTV Drenthe.
“Yesterday evening we had a meeting with the KNVB and FC Emmen. We reached an accord regarding the sponsorship, which has satisfied everyone”, added Idema. The first time that the Emmen players will take to the field in EasyToys-sponsored shirts will come on Sunday, when they play Willem II (Tilburg) at de Oude Meerdijk.
FC Emmen had wanted to present Veendam-based EasyToys as its new main sponsor last week, but the KNVB made an emergency intervention. The Football Associations said that the sponsorship couldn’t go ahead due to a ban on sex-industry related sponsorship. The argument came to public attention, and set off a large debate within the Netherlands.
“It felt quite awful that we were put in the ‘sex-industry’ box”, says Idema, “it’s like saying that our Marketing Team are working as sex-workers. That’s not something I see as sensible, but we’ve found a solution”, he added.
The original three-year deal has been shortened to just one year, at the end of which all the professional football clubs in the Netherlands will be consulted to clarify the rules around sponsorship. After that, the deal could be lengthened again.
The country-wide debate has put EasyToys at the front of everyone in the Netherlands minds, with Idema reporting that the website (the largest in the Benelux for sex toys and erotic supplies) has a huge uptick in visitors. “Normally, our social media posts get about 200,000 views, Last week it reached 20 million! That wasn’t really what we wanted, though. We wanted to be FC Emmen’s sponsor, and we are now. On Sunday I’ll take my place in the stands with pride when we play Willem II.”
Image (of FC Emmen fans in 2012) by Jack Wolters, of JW Sportfotografie. Via Wikimedia. License here.
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